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After reading several rave reviews of the Jeff Rowland Concerto Integrated and one also rave review of the Bel Canto REF1000 in respectable French audio magazines, I'd love to see a review of these amps in Stereophile. A comparative review would be especially worthwhile as these amps (as well as some smaller Bel Canto models) are built on B&O's ICEpower digital switching technology. It is striking that the JR Concerto has been described as "analog-like" or "tube-like" while being much more powerful than any tube amp. So that's pretty much the opposite of the cliches about "digital" anything.

I have a tube amp right now but, when dreaming of my future system, I look at all options with an open mind. Any chance to get a review of these beasts ?

BTW, I have also read rave reviews of a new digital amp by Flying Mole Corp in Japan. It is only 20W but a magazine reported that it could drive a pair of 17000-euro JBL Array monsters... and it costs just 670 euros. A 100W model seems to have been demonstrated recently at CES.

Is it just me, or is there some very disruptive potential in these digital switching amps ? If they indeed sound so great with no significant shortcomings, what is going to justify the existence of $20000+/pair monoblocks ?

I think this is one of the most exciting things going on in audio today...ICEpower and all it's variants, so many it's a little daunting to keep up with. The eAR website HERE is very interesting surfing, and in particular their 1000W monoblocks are garnering positive reviews as well. Just one of many manufacturers creating some very interesting products. The way technology advances, 2006 should be a very interesting year for amplification.

Quote:After reading several rave reviews of the Jeff Rowland Concerto Integrated and one also rave review of the Bel Canto REF1000 in respectable French audio magazines, I'd love to see a review of these amps in Stereophile.

I have a tube amp right now but, when dreaming of my future system, I look at all options with an open mind. Any chance to get a review of these beasts ?

i made a list of them recently there have been some reviews of class-D amplification in Stereophile - the latest being the PSAudio. They also did a very early review of the Sharp SM-SX100 and just last year got around to doing the Yamaha MX-D1 (it was one of the first commerically available class-D, and I believe the engineers who originally made it left to form Flying MOle)

Quote:I think this is one of the most exciting things going on in audio today...ICEpower and all it's variants, so many it's a little daunting to keep up with. The eAR website HERE is very interesting surfing, and in particular their 1000W monoblocks are garnering positive reviews as well. Just one of many manufacturers creating some very interesting products. The way technology advances, 2006 should be a very interesting year for amplification.

RG

Thanks, I had never heard of this company. So, a pair of 500W/8 ohm monoblocks costs 2200 euros when sold direct and they suggest that interested resellers double the price (interesting profit margin!). For comparison purposes, a pair of Bel Canto REF1000 costs 5000 euros over here in old Europe and a Jeff Rowland Concerto integrated costs 6500 euros. Of course, serious manufacturers have to do more than just package ICEpower modules in a fancy box. But the danger of basing your design on these modules is that it invites comparison... Yes, it should be an interesting year.

I'll have to buy a pair of Dynaudio Evidence Temptation or Sonus Faber Stradivari to get the most of these hundreds of watts.